Label-affixing machine.



No, 889,753. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

J. M. BROWN.

LABEL AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1907.

B $HBETS-SHEET l.

Witnesses I 551 /4 fltmmq No. 889,753. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

J, M. BROWN.

LABEL APPIXING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR-24 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'avwenfoz Q/Vi b1 eases PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

J. M. BROWN.

' LABEL AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 24, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

2x91 b1 zoom No. 889,753. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. J. M. BROWN.

LABEL APFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 24, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

No.'889,753.' PATENTED JUNE 2,1908.

J. M. BROWN.

LABEL AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Witnesses I Q I Q V I M No. 889,753. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

J. M. BROWN.

LABEL APFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

. J I 5 g, W

No. 889,753. I PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. JMM. BROWN.

LABEL AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

1 91 in wow I 2 6mm,

PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

J. M. BROWN. LABEL AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEETS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE BROWN, OF BOSTON, -MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON BOTTLE WIRING & LABELING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

LABEL-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an, 2, 1908.

Application filed April 24, 1907. Serial No. 369,930.

I Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements. in Label-Affixing Machines; an I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of' the invention, such as will enab e others skilled in theart to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The primary object of my invention is t render unnecessary the constant holding of the bottles, by the operator, during the application of the labels. f

A further object is to effect the automatic retention of the parts in operative relation, during a portion of each cycle of operation.

The present invention also contemplates, among others, improvements in respect to the paste-applying agency; the means for controlling the position thereofin its. travel over the'label-bed; the means for retaining the labels and preventing more than one at a time being removed'from the pile; and also in respect to the construction and operation of the pickers.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a bottle under pressure. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig.

' 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4'is a side elevation,-

looking in the op osite direction from Fig. 1, with a portion 0 the frame in section. Fig. 5 is a face view of the lever, and its cam for operating the paste-transferrer and picker carriage. Fig. 6 is a view of the rocking frame, and its cam for actuating the bottle presser. Fig: 7 is an enlar ed'sectional view of the driving pulley and c utch, with a portion of the shifter broken away. Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through the label-bed late. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of one of t 1e label-bed rods. Fig. 10 is a view in perspective, with parts broken away, showing the means for rocking the picker-shaft. of a label separating finger. 12 is an enlarged view of one of the hopper pins. Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view through the presser, the belt, and the supports therefor, the presser bein of different formation from that shown in t ie' other figures. Fig. 14 is 11 is a view. s

an enlarged view of the label retaining rod. Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view'ofthe paste reservoir. Fig. 16 is a rear view thereof, with parts broken away, andothers'omitted. Figs. 17, 18and 19 are views of details eferring to the drawings, 1 designates the supportin frame or stand; 2 the main operating sha t, whereon is loosely mounted a constantly-operated bandpulle 3, which, by a slight lateral movement, Wlll throw the pivoted dogs? of a clutch 4 into engagement in 1perspective.

. with a ring or band 5 carried by such pulley,

thus transmitting power to shaft 2, the clutch being keyed thereon. The shifting of the pulley into engagement with the clutch dogs is effected by a shifter 6 loose on shaft 2, which shifter is shown as having a-ring formed within a camsurface 7 which, when the ring is turned axially, is forced longitudinally of the shaft by engaging the camsurface 8 of a stationary part, preferably the shaft-bearing secured to frame 1. The ac-. tuation of the shifter is effected when a bottle is in position for engagement with a pasted label. The dogs 3 are pivotally mounted in clutch 4 s0 thatwhen engaged at their inner ends by enlargement 8 of the pulley they are turned on their pivots until their outer corners bind against the inner face of the band 5. w

9 designates two parallel guide-rods, at the top of frame 1, whereon travels the carriage 9 of the aste receptacle 10. The reciprocation of t e carriage is effected by a lever 11, actuated by a cam'12, and connected by a link 13 to one of two arms 14, keyed on a common shaft 15, and connected at their.

upper ends, by means of links 16, to the car-' riage 9. The cam 12 is mounted on a countershaft 17 carrying a gear wheel 18 in mesh with a gear pin1on 19 on the main shaft.

The paste receptacle is, in the main, constructed after the form embraced by Letters Patent of the United States No. 678,832, of

rails is held raised at its forward. end by springressed catches 22, having shoulders uponw ich the rails bear. As the carriage 9 reaches the limit of its forward movement, a

July 16, 1901, and No. 756,580, of A ril 5,

portion thereof engages projections 23 of the catches, effecting the turning of the latter on' their pivots 24, as against the tensions of their springs 25, the'rails being lowered under the weight of the paste-receptacle, which moves downwardly in its end-bearin s. When the paste-rece tacle is so lowered, the ratchet wheel 26 of t is paste roller engages a fixed rack-bar 27, as in the last of the before noted patents, the revolution of the aste roller continuing while the rece tac le is assing rearwardly over the labeled. As It clears the latter it effects the rengagement of the forward ends .of the rails with their retaining catches, the weight of the rej ce tacle causing the rails to turn on their fu crums '28.

The rails are slightly inclined upwardly along their upper edges from a point about with two series of parallel slots to accommodate the side andfront-end hopper pins.

Each pin projects upwardly from a nut 32 fitted in guide-ways 33 and engaged by a screw-rod 34. By turning these screw rods,

the ins ma be adjusted to form hoppers forlabe s of di erent sizes.

The label-bed plate 29 is carried by two vertically-disposed rods 35 passed downwardly through two depending tubular castings 36, said plate being always under the tension of springs 37 engaging the rods 35, the upward movement of the table being limited by stops 38. Each of these rods 35 is provided with a rack 39, with which racks enga e pinions 40 fast on'a commonshaft 41, fitte loosely in bearings 42. The inions are yieldingly held in engagement'wlth the racks by plate springs 43. These springs will yield topermit the label-bed plate to be forced downward by hand without danger of f injury to the racks or pinions.

To a crank of shaft 41 is secured a rod 44 having at its lower end a roller 45-with which is designed to engage a cam 46 on counter:

shaft 17. The action'of this cam on rod 44 effects the partial rotation of shaft 41, and

hence the lowering of the label-bed plate 29 as against the tension of springs 37. While the cam so acts on the rod, the label-bed plate will be locked in its lowered position. As soon as the rod is disengaged by .the cam,

the plate will be raised under the action of the springs 37. If, while the plate is locked, it be desired to lower or depress it to provide for additional labels, this may be done be- 'zontal position.

ation.

cause of the yielding engagement of the racks and inions.

46, 46, esignate the label pickers. They are shown in the form of horizontal lates having at their forward ends upward y extended right-angular portions journaled on two arms 47 of a rock shaft 48 mounted on carriage 9. Coil s rings 49 on arms 47 yieldingly hold the plckers against stops 50, and allow such ickers to be swung laterally as when a bott e is passed downwardly between them. Rock shaft 48 has at one end 'a crank arm 51 carrying a roller 52 which travels on a track 53, whereby the pickers 46 are held in their normal, approximately hori- To allow the pickers to fall against the pile of labels, to take up the topmost member thereof, I form in track 53 a cut-out 54 into which roller 52 will enter as the ickers are returned to position over the labe s. (See Fig. 10.) After the ickers have en aged the top-most or pastec label, and be ore starting on their forward movement, they are slightly elevated by the rocking of shaft 48. For this purpose roller 52 is engaged by plate 55, located in a slot in the end of track 53 extending into recess 54', said plate being actuated to an extent sufficient to again raise roller 52 onto the plane of the track. This actuation of plate 55 is eflected by a lever 56 engaged by a cam 57 on countershaft 17. Aspring 58, connected to the plate 55, tends to retain such plate in its depressed position, and aids in holding lever 56 against cam 57. This late is shown as of triangular formation, with its lower edge engaging a shoulder 59 on frame 1, such shoulder serving as a fulcrum for the lever.

6O designates a band by which each label is pressed evenly against a bottle. As pointed'out in Patent No. 756,580, this band is hung on *bearings consisting of two crank shafts 61 having intermeshing gear segments 62, the shafts being held in their normal positions, with the band extended, by a sprin 63.

Instead. ofusing'an endless band or bet of the type shown in the last mentioned atent, I prefer to employ a single piece of exible material, and adjustably secure it to its bearings. For this purpose, each of the latter is formed in two parts, (see Fig. 13) one having a tongue and the other a groove, and both parts are held by a clamping screw 64.

A spring-pressed follower 65 is located beneath band 60, and has. depending rods 66 guided by a bracket 67 hung on rods 68, upon which the crank shafts 61 are mounted.

69 designates a presser for en aging a bottle and bearing it down onto't e band and holding it firmly during a ortion of the oper- It may be of any esired contour, the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 17', being concaved on its lower face to conform to the contour of a round bottle; while in Fig. 13 the ing of the'bott e above the band.

. 6. As a bottle is The pressure is shown as being formed with a slot' or central cut-away at its inner end to accommodate a'trip arm 73 depending from a rock-shaft 74 mounted on a superl structure 75 and having at one end a crankarm which is connected by a rod 76 to shifter ositioned beneath the presser it will force t e tri arm rearwardly, thereby effecting a partia Y rotation-of rockshaft 74, and, through the connecton 76, the" actuation of the shifter to lock theband pule ley to shaft 2. The trip arm is shown as being adju'stably secured to rock-shaft 74, so as to regulate the actuationof the shifter by the position of the bottle relative to the resser,

thus providing for bottles of different engths.

' wholly by the coil springs.

In practice the trip arm may be located at any suitable point and operated by hand, or by foot-pressure.

The pressure-carrying rod 71 depends from a yoke 78 mounted on the upper ends of two arallel rods 79 which are actuated by a roc er frame 80, fast on a shaft 81, and

having an arm 82 arranged by a cam 83 fast on shaft 17. The connection between the rocker-frame and the rods 79 is shown. in the form of two I-bolts, through which said rods are passed, stop collars 84 on said rods being.

engaged by said bolts to effect the upward movement of the presser. Surrounding the lower portion ofeachof these rods is a coil spring 85 between the I-bolts and tensionadjusting nuts '86 on the lower ends of such rods. The initial downward movement of the presser is effected by the engagement of the rocker frame with the springs 85, but when the presser has'forced the bottle downward, within the fold of the band, until arrested thereby, the further downward movement of the rocker frame is taken up In this way the danger of injuring or breaking bottles while under pressure is avoided.

To insure, the completibn of one cycle of operation, without the necessity of the bottle remaining in engagement with the trip-arm, I mount on the counter-shaft 17 a cam 87 for enga ing a link 88 connected at one end to one of the carriage shifting arms -14, and at the other end by a second link 89 to the arm of, shifter 6. The cam 87 when in engagement with link 88 holds-the shifter in 1&{16 position in which it is placed by the bott e held until the label has been caused to adhere to the bottle, the pressure elevated, and theeing labeled, and the partswill be so,

receptacle, and the picker arms, will cease to operate, since as soon as the link 88 is de rived of the support of cam 87 the shifter wi v assume its normal. position.

90 designates aflabel-pile holder. It embodies a vertically disposed rod ,having a rearwardly extended hook at its upper end, and supported by a spring 91 in the end of a lever 92 extended longitudinally of the machine, beneath the label-bed, the hooked rod being held by a screw 93, the end of which projects into a slot in such rod. The lever 92 1s fulcrumed at 94, and its rearward end is connected to the slotted end of a second lever 95, carrying a label separating finger 96. Initially this finger is adjusted so as to extend slightly over the rear edge of the label-pile.

As aste is applied, the top label by adhering to iihe roller will'be drawn from beneath the finger, andwhen freed of the roller will, at the rear, rest on the finger. In this way only one label is removed at a time by pickers, such finger being further projected over the pile when the hooked rod 90 is released therefrom. The lever 92.is actuated by an arm 97 carried by the rod 44 by which the label-bed plate is actuated. The label engaging. hook, and the label se arating finger are simultaneously operater as the label-bed lplate is lowered, leaving the topmost labe in engagement with the pickers. F The paste-roller 20 does not contact with the rear wall of the paste-receptacle, but is engaged by a plate 98 fitted against said wall and constantly under the tension of a spring 99 within a socket 100. (See Fig. 15.) By moving upwardly a pin 101, secured to a second pin 102 against which spring 99 bears,

the plate may be raised to temporarily allow a greater outflow. By indentlng or cutting out the lower edge of this late at one or more oints provision may e made for an irregu ar or uneven flow.- This is desirable where a greater supply of paste is required at some point or oints than elsewhere. A

new or different, p ate may be easily substituted for this purpose. Each plate carries lugs 1 03 which projects into openings in the rear wall of the paste receptacle.

In practice, the hopper plns are adjusted, or, such of them as may be necessary, to retain the labels in position, and the label-bed plate is de ressed to an extent to insure the top of the abel-pile beingslightly above the ins. Power being constantly applied to and pulley 3, the machine is set in motion by the actuation of the trip arm 73.

Assuming that the pickers, with a. pasted label. adhering thereto, have already been moved forward into position above the flexi ble band (as by hand operation), the pressercarrying yoke is lowered by the rocker-frame 80 and the bottle is forced down between the and the band, which latter is caused to partly encircle the bottle. The downward movement of the presser is limited by the folding of the'band on the bottle. By this time cam 87 on shaft 17 will be in engagement with link 88, and the .band pulley will be held locked to the main shaft, enabling the operator to tem orarily release his holdon the bottle, as w ile reachingfor another. During the rearward stroke ofthe carriage the paste roller applies paste to the topmost label, the rails 21 having been lowered at their front ends, and as the carriage reaches the limit of its rearward movement and the rails 21 are again raised at their front ends, the pickers are dropped onto the labelpile.

Thereupon cam 4:6 coming into engagement with rod 44 eflects the lowering of the labelbed plate a slight distance, leaving the to 4 most label adhering to the under side of t 1e ickers. As the rod 44 is raised by cam 46,

ever 92 is actuated by arm 97, causing the hooked rod 90 to be moved out of engagement with the labels, and the label-finger 96 to be moved forward further over the pile. At this point, cam 57 acts on lever 56 to cause plate 55 to effect the raising of the, picker arms out of engagement with the label pile, and cam 46 allows rod 44 to start to move downward, releasing arm 97 from ongagement with lever 92, to permit the labelretaining hook 90 to move forward above the label ile, and as rod 44 is freed of the cam the laldel-bed' plate resumes its elevated position under the action of springs 37. The carriage 9 is then moved forward by the action of cam 12 on the lever 11, and the pickers transfer the pasted label into position above the band 60 ready to be engaged by a bottle.

' It will be observed that the-label-bed plate is lowered at the time the pickers contact with thetop of the pile so that the upward pressure of the latter, as a whole, will be lessened, the asted label alone adhering to the ickers. hen the label-bed plate is so lowered, the labels are retained in place by the hopper pins and the rear finger 96.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a label-affixing machine, in combination, a constantly driven pulley, a main shaft, a clutch thereon, a shifter, a trip connected to said shifter, and means for automaticall locking said shifter during a portion of the cycle of operation.

2. In a label-affixing machine, in combination, a constantly driven ulle a main shaft whereonsaid pulley is fbose y mounted, a clutch ke ed on'said shaft and capable of being loo ed to said pulley by the lateral shifting'of the latter, a shifter for engaging the pulley, a trip connected to said shifter, and means for automatically locking said shifter during a portion of the cycle of operation.

3. The combination with a main 0 crating shaft, of a clutch thereon and a pul ey, one fast and the other loose, a shifter for locking said clutch and pulley, a trip-arm connected to said shifter, and means for automatically locking said shifter during a portion of the cycle of operation.

4. The combination in a bottle-labeling machine, with the main-operating shaft, of a clutch fast thereon having pivoted dogs, a driven pulley having a flange with which said dogs are designed to engage at one end when acted upon at their other ends by said pulley, a fixed cam, a shifter having a cam surface for engaging said fixed cam, said shifter being designed to cause said pulley to engage said dogs, and a trip for said shifter. 5. The combination with a main operating shaft, a clutch thereon and a pulley, one fast and the other loose, of a shifter for locking said clutch andpulley, a tri connected to said shifter, a cam actuated by the rotation of said main shaft, and a link designed to be engaged by said cam, said link being connected to said shifter.

6. In a label-aflixing machine, a label-bed plate having slots therein, ho per pins projectirig upwardly through sai slots, means for applying paste to a label-pile on said plate, pickers for moving a pasted label, means or lowering said plate as the pickers are raised from said label-pile, and means for actuating the ickers.

7. In a labe -affixing machine, a label-bed late having slots therein, ho per pins proecting upwardly through sai slots, means for applying paste to a label-pile on said plate, pickers for removin springs tending to. raise said plate, means for lowering said plate as the pickers are raised from said label-pile, means for permitting said plate to be adjusted relative to said pins and said lowering means, and means for actuating the lckers.

s. In a la el-aflixin machine, a label-bed late having slots and depending rods, the

a pasted label,

atter carrying racks, ho per pins rejecting upwardly through said s ots, a sha t, pinions thereon in mesh with said racks, means yieldingly holding said pinions inmesh with said racks, and means for actuating said shaft.

9. In a label-affixin machine, a label-bed plate having slots and depending rods, the atter carrying racks, hop er pins projecting upwardly through said s ots, a shaft, loose bearings for said shaft, pinions on the latter.

in mesh with said racks, springs normally holding said, pinions in mesh with said racks, and means for actuating said shaft.

10. In a label-affixing machine, a labelbed,.- a paste-transferrer movable back and forth over the label-bed, movable rails upon which said transferrer is desi ned to travel, and means for permitting sai rails to lower means for holding the forward ends of said returned to their raised positions as the from said rails by the engagement therewith .a support for said rod, a paste trans errer,

- or simultaneously-moving the hooked rod as the transferrer reaches the limit of its movement in one direction, said rails being .transferrer reaches the limit of its return movement. v 11. In a label-affixing machine, a labelbed, a paste-transferrer movable back and forth over the label-bed, movable rails upon which said transferrer is desi ned to travel, and means for holding said ra' s raised as the transferrer is moved in one direction, portions of said rails being inclined upwardly to effect the raising of the paste-transferrer from the label-bed on its return movement.

12. In a label-affixing machine, a labelbed, a paste-transferrer movable back and forth over the label-bed, ivoted rails upon which the transferrer is esigned to travel,'

rails raised as the transferrer is moved in one direction, and means for releasing such holding means, said rails being returned to their normal. positions under the weight, of the pagte-transferrer onthe rear 'ends of the ra1 s.-

13. In alabel-aflixing machine, a labelbed, a aste-transferrer, a carriage for mov-, ing sai transferrer over the label-bed, pivoted rails for said transferrer, and s 1111 pressed catches for holding the forwar en s of said rails, such catches being disengaged of a-portion of the carriage as the latter is moved forward, and said tracks being returned into en agement with said catches by the turning 0 said tracks on their pivots under the weightof the transferrer. 14. In a label-affixing machine, a labelbed plate, a rod having its upper end hooked and extended over a label-plle' on said late, a support for said rod, a paste-trans errer, ickers for removing a pasted label from the liibelile, means for effecting the lowering of said p ate as thepickers engage the topmost label, and means for'removing the hooked rod as the pickers remove the topmost label.

15. In a label-aflixing' machine, a labelbed plate, a rod having its upper end hooked and extended overa label-plle on said late,

ickers for'removing a asted label from the abel-pile, a separating er for engaging the labelile opposite to S8.id%l00k6d rod, means for e ecting the lowering of said plate as the ickers engage the topmost label, and means from above the label-pile and projecting said separating finger over such pile as the pickers remove the to most label. v

16. In a la el-aifixing machine, a labelbed plate, a rod having its u per end hooked and extended over a label-p1 eon said late, a .se arating finger designed to exten over the abel-pile, a lever upon which said hooked rod is mou1'1ted,'a second lever designed to be the bottle.

actuated by the first mentioned lever and to which said finger is connected, a paste-trans ried by. said shaft, means for rocking the ickers to engage a bed, and a band forlatter to permit said label-pile on said labelward of said label-bed, said pickers being designed to convey pasted labels toza point above said band.

,18.In a label-affixing machine, a labelbed, a 'paste-transferrer,a reci rocating carriage, a shaft mounted thereon ffaving a crank arm at one end, a track whereon said arm is designed to travel, said track having a cutout into which said arm is designed to drop, pickers carried by said shaft, means for raisin said crank arm from said cut-out, and a ban forward of saidlabel bed, said ickers being designed to convey a pasted la el to a point above said band.

19. The combination with a carriage, of a shaft mounted thereon having forwardly extended arms, approximately horizontallydisposed plates having upward extensions journaled on said arms, springs for yieldmgly-holding said lates and permitting them to move latera y away from each other and means for operating the carriage.

'20. The combination with a carriage, of a track ar'alleling the line ofmovement thereof, sai track at one end having a cut-out and an intersecting slot, a shaft mounted on said carria e, pickers carriedby' said shaft, 'a pivoted p ate fitted in saidslot and designed to extend into said cut-out, means for actuating said carriage, and means for actuating said plate to effect-the elevation of said pickers through the operation of such shaft.

21. In a label-a f g signed tozpartly encirc ea bottle, means for machine, a band depositioning a pasted label above'said band,

earrings for said band, a presser for enga ing and for'cinga bottle against a pasted labe on said band, and means for automatically returning the band to its normal osition upon the release of the pressure of t e presser 'on 22. In a label-affixing machine,aband-designed to partly encirc e a bottle, means for positioning a pasted label above said band,

' movable bearin s for said band, a presser'for engaging a bott e and forcing it against said band, means for returning the band to its normal position upon the release ofthe pres sure of the presser on the bottle, a yoke carrying said presser, and means for actuating a label-affixin machine, a band desaid yoke signed to partly encirc e a bottle, means for positioning a pasted label above said band,

movable bearin s for said band, a presser for engaging a bott e and forcing it againstsaid band, a yoke carrying said presser, vertically movable rods secured to said yoke, a rockerframe, means for actuating the latter, and meians connecting said rocker-frame to said ro s.-

24. Ina label-affixin machine, a band designed to partly encirc e a bottle, meansfor positioning a pasted label above said band,

movable bearin s for said band, a presser for engaging a bott e and forcing it against said band, a yoke carrying said presser, vertically movable rods secured to sald yoke, a rockerpositioning a pasted label above said band,

movable bearings for said band, a resser for v ormed wit engaging a bottle and forcing it against said band, a yoke carrying said presser, verticallymovable rods secured to said yoke, springs encircling said rods at the lower ends thereof,

a rocker frame, means for actuating the'latter, I-bolts carried by said rocker frame through which said rods are passed, said bolts resting on said s rings, and stops on said rods above said I-Eolts.

26. In a label-affixin machine, a band designed'to partly encirc e a bottle, movable bearings for said band comprising each a two art clam ing member, one part being a tongue and the other with a groove, and means for binding together the parts of each member. In testimony whereof, I-have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.JEssE BROWN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES J. MADDEN, RICHARD M. WALSH. 

